


And We could Run Away

by mekamaxine



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Mostly Amberfield for a while but eventual Amberpricefield, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2018-08-24 06:35:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8361196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mekamaxine/pseuds/mekamaxine
Summary: Rachel Amber has successfully escaped the darkroom and is now fleeing Arcadia Bay. In a turn of events, she finds herself alone in Seattle with no home, no money, and no future. However, she soon meets face-to-face with a certain brown haired hipster, and thinks maybe things aren't so bad after all.





	1. Escape and Hope for the Best

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So this is the first fanfic I've ever actually posted, and I'm somewhat overwhelmed. I've had this idea in my head for about three months now, and have been wanting to get it out there. This fanfic is pretty self indulgent but I know that I'm not the only one who wishes for a story like this haha. I don't really know what else to say other than the fact that while I did proofread this a bunch, there may be some mistakes, so bear with me. Please leave feedback letting me know what you thin. Both kudos and comments will make my day i swear! The next chapter won't likely be as long as this, and definitely won't take three months to post.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

The loud clang of a metal door echoed off the walls, causing a sharp throb to pierce throughout the girl’s head. Her eyes opened slowly, illuminating her dark world with beams of light. However, the blinding whiteness almost made her want to squeeze them shut again. When her blurry vision finally cleared, the girl tried to get a good view of what was around her. She was lying down on a hard, white floor, and in front of her she could see what looked to be a coffee table and a couch wrapped in plastic. On the walls hung a variety of black and white photos, and she noticed there was camera equipment all around as well. It reminded her of a photo studio.

Despite the pain searing through her head and the stiffness within her limbs, the girl attempted to push herself off the floor. Her legs and arms shook weakly as she tried to stand up and she began to feel as though she hadn’t used them in weeks. Now that she was standing however, the girl decided to assess her predicament. Her mind was still foggy and she couldn’t remember anything that had happened before the sound of a door closing had woken her up. She slowly made her way across the rooms towards an open metal cabinet. Inside the cabinet the girl found shelves upon shelves of red binders. On each spine the binder had what seemed to be a girl’s name written in bold, black ink. On the far end of the top shelf she read the names.

SUZY. LYNN. KELLY.

Behind her, the girl noticed a wide, glass desk. On top of the desk was a high end computer, some loose pieces of paper that looked like they could be receipts or bills, and one of the red binders from the cabinet. She scanned the papers for some sort of meaning, but it strained her eyes to read. She could pick up some words such as “storm bunker”, “Prescott”, “therapy”, and “Nathan”, but couldn’t piece it together. The words brought out whispers from the back of her mind, as though she had heard them all before. Except the whispers were too quiet, and she couldn’t hear them clearly over the pounding in her head. The whole room was beginning to feel more and more like one big jigsaw puzzle she couldn't solve. Photos on the wall, camera equipment, binders, receipts, it made no sense to her. She continued to search the desk for guidance, but found it empty and cold. Finally she turned to the bright, red binder that lay closed on the desk. She had been holding off on it, something about the binders gave her the chills, but maybe it was just what she needed.  She turned the binder around to see what name was on the spine and in the same bold, black ink as everyone else, the girl read the name.

RACHEL.

Her heart beat loudly in her chest and her fingers shook as she slowly opened the binder. Inside were photos that made her stomach twist and her legs weak. Her knuckles were turning white from holding on to the desk in order to keep her knees from buckling, but she hardly noticed. After trying to wrap her head around what she was looking at, she noticed there was something different about the picture on the top left corner of the page. There were two people in this one.

Suddenly, something clicked. The first puzzle piece had been set. Memories flooded her mind and her breath caught in her throat. They came in blurry flashes , as though she was remembering a bad dream. One image, however, managed to push through and become clear. _It all started at… a party._

 

_“Rachel! You made it!” a familiar voice called out to her from across the room._

_“Nathan!” she called back, trying to make her voice heard over the loud music and voices. Nathan Prescott was striding across the room with two red solo cups in his hands, a grin spreading across his face. “Of course I made it!” she responded, “ I’d never miss a Vortex Club party.”_

_He handed her one of the cups. “Here,” he said stiffly, “You look like you could use a little boost to get in the party mood.” She faked offense and gasped._

_“What do you mean? I'm always in the party mood,” She said. As if to prove her point, Rachel chugged the drink, set it down on the nearest table, and grabbed Nathan’s wrist. “Let’s go dance!”_

_“Uh, sure,” he said slowly, eyeing the cup she had set on the table. “Let’s dance”_

 

The already existing knot in Rachel’s stomach only tightened as she recalled the events of that night. She should’ve noticed the way his voice sounded more forced than usual, and the way he shifted his gaze between her and the cup, as if at any moment she was going to collapse dead on the floor. Maybe if she’d been more careful, less trusting, she wouldn’t be standing here now. Rachel quickly shook her head. Nothing will be solved by dwelling on what she could’ve done better.

Rachel tried to remember what happened after she pulled Nathan onto the dance floor, but she could only see fragments. After dancing with him for a little while, her vision had gone blurry and the room began to feel as though it was spinning around her. She remembers Nathan grabbing her as she fell. He had muttered awkward words of comfort as he wrapped one of her arms over his shoulder, and used his other hand to wrap around her waist.

They left the party... somehow. She can’t remember how, but they must’ve left, because the next thing she remembers is lying in the backseat of  Nathan’s truck. The soft rumble of the car driving over rubble had flooded her ears and made her sleepy. She had almost passed out before she was interrupted by someone pulling her out of the truck. It was cold now, and the wind made shivers run down her spine. Nathan clumsily pulled her along the dirt and Rachel tried not to trip on her own feet.

She remembers stopping. She remembers Nathan gripping her waist and wrist tighter as footsteps and the sound of a drawling voice drew near.

 

_“So you managed to get her afterall. I'm surprised,” the voice said. Nathan stiffened._

_“Of course,” He replied._

_“I was sure you would quit once I told you she was our next subject, but it seems you are more capable than I thought” the voice said, laced with false praise. “Now then. Give her to me.”_

_Nathan hesitated for a moment before pushing Rachel towards the voice. Rachel’s legs instantly gave out but a hand quickly prevented her from falling. The hand raise her ever so slightly, and without a word, Rachel felt a sharp pain in her neck. Her eyelids felt heavy and the distant echoes of crickets and owls grew dimmer and dimmer. She eventually succumbed to the numbness that weighed her entire body down and went limp._

_“Watch carefully, Nathan,” the voice droned, sounding as though it was coming from a mile away. It continued to speak, but Rachel could no longer make out the words. However, still holding on to her consciousness, she heard Nathan mutter close into her ear._

_“Yes, Mr. Jefferson.”_

 

Rachel felt as though the air around her had been sucked out with a vacuum. Her trembling legs finally gave way and with a small push away from the desk, she collapsed onto the hard floor. She didn’t even wince in pain, for she had finally realized what had happened to her. Mr. Jefferson... How could he do that to her? Jefferson, a man she trusted and admired. Jefferson, a man she was eager to model for, so much so that she often went to dishonest lengths in order to impress him. Jefferson, a man she…He betrayed her. He made Nathan drug and kidnap her, and then took disgusting photos of her unconscious body. Thinking about it almost made her gag and tears began to sting her eyes, but she quickly pushed them away with the back of her hand. She could be sad later. Right now she had to find a way to get out of the creepy photo studio she was locked up in.

Across the room, Rachel noticed another room that was separated with a plastic curtain. She forced herself up and made her way slowly towards it. She pushed back the curtains and discovered a room filled wall to wall with canned food. There was also a sink on one side and a huge metal door on the other. It looked like a vault for a bank or something. This must’ve been the sound that woke her up. _That means_ , she thought, _someone just left_. They could be back any moment, so she had to hurry.

She considered taking the canned food with her, but due to her lack of any sort of bag, she decided against it. In fact, now that she thought about it, she didn’t have anything. She probably left her purse at the party or with Nathan. All she had was the clothes she was wearing: a black, v-neck t-shirt and some jean shorts.

Using what little strength she had, Rachel made her way to the vault and turned the handle. She almost had to use her entire body weight to pull the door before it finally opened. Behind the door were cement stairs leading up to what she assumed was a hatch. She walked up the stairs and pushed the door above her head, but it wouldn’t budge. _Of course it’s locked_ , she sighed. Panic flowered within her chest as she grasped for ideas. She turned towards the door again, wondering if there was something in the room she could use, but noticed there was a keypad on the door. She didn’t know the password, so she was stuck on this staircase until she opened the hatch or someone found her. After weighing her options, she realized she really only had one. She had to try and break open the hatch herself.

Rachel knew deep down she wasn’t big enough to bust open a locked door, but it was all she had. It was either that or get caught by Jefferson.She began to throw her shoulders upwards against the wooden ceiling, resulting in an echoing thud. She tried kicking, hitting, jumping, anything to get the door to open. Her shoulders were beginning to throb and she could see her hands were bleeding,but she had to keep going. She squeezed her eyes shut to block out the pain and continued to ram into the ceiling, her mind focusing on nothing but the sound made every time she pushed.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only five to ten minutes, a loud crack could be heard and Rachel lurched forward. She landed on the top step and glanced up; the hatch had been broken.Her arms still screamed in pain and her hands were numb, so Rachel decided to crawl out of the stairway instead of walking. When she got out, she shakily stood up and noticed she was in an old barn. There was no time to look around though, she had to get out. She spotted an opening across the barn and made her way to it as quickly as she could. Covering the small opening was a metal sheet that she clumsily kicked out of the way before crouching and exiting the barn.

Once she was outside, the rush of fresh air made her shiver. Rachel noticed it was getting dark outside. The sun hadn’t quite set yet and was showering the sky with a orange glow. She wondered how long she’d been in the underground studio. Considering it was nighttime when she entered, it must have been about a day. When she walked around to the driveway in front of the barn, she realized she had no idea where she was. Fortunately for her though, there was only one path to go down.

As she slowly walked along the road, Rachel took this time to examine her injuries. The blood on her hands and shoulders was starting to dry up, but they still burned whenever she touched them. She tried to dig any splinters out of her skin, but was sure there were still some left. Her clothes were slightly damaged, but not torn up enough that she felt anyone would notice. Speaking of noticing, Rachel was becoming painfully aware of how exposed she was on this road. If Jefferson or Nathan were to drive down it, they would notice her in a heartbeat. She walked as far left as she possibly could, so that the plants somewhat covered her, but she doubted it was enough. However, since the plants did cover the ground well, she came to the conclusion that if she heard a car, her best option would be to lie in the brush.

Time passed slowly by as she continued to walk along the road. There was still no sign of Jefferson or Nathan, so Rachel was starting to get nervous. It must’ve been at least an hour since she woke up, if not more. They wouldn’t just leave her there, right? They must be coming back soon. Rachel’s thoughts were interrupted when she glanced up and noticed that she had finally reached the town. It was still away from her, but it was at least within her line of sight. Looking at the road up ahead, she noted that the path she was on was at the far end of Arcadia. Barely anyone would drive this way unless they knew what was up there.

As if on cue, Rachel heard the sound of a car driving along the road. It was getting closer to the path off the sidewalk; closer to her. She panicked and looked around for a place to hide. Lucky for her, she was now in a more heavily forested area, and could easily hide in the bushes. Paying no mind to the pain in her limbs, Rachel threw herself into the nearest shrubbery and laid herself as flat as possible. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to stay still. Her mind raced and she struggled to focus. The rumble of a car became ever clearer and soon it was almost right next to her. She held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut, embracing for the sound of a screeching halt. For Jefferson to grab her by the arm and shove her back in his car. But the sound never came, and she could hear the gritty sound of tires against dirt slowly fade away. Tears Rachel didn’t even know she was holding back began to flow. She had made it, she escaped. She pushed herself up, and with a new burst of adrenaline, she began to run down the path towards the city sidewalk. When she reached the end and stepped onto the sidewalk, her chest was heaving, but she felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulder. She had never been more grateful to be walking in Arcadia Bay.

The weight was immediately restored, however, when she realized it would probably only take Jefferson twenty minutes to get to the Barn and notice she was gone. Sure, now that she was walking along the town sidewalk, he couldn’t openly attack her, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t track her down.Her heartbeat quickened and she spun her head around, suddenly paranoid that at any moment Jefferson would return. She had to get as far from Arcadia as possible before he came back.

Rachel walked briskly to the nearest bus stop, which was conveniently in front of a gas station. She hurried in, afraid to spend too much time lingering just in case Jefferson was on his way. After using the restroom and cleaning herself up to the best of her ability, Rachel stood waiting next to the bus stop. She knew that one of the buses went out of Arcadia, but she didn’t know where it went or how far. She didn’t really care though. As long as she was out of Arcadia, she was fine. Jefferson wouldn’t go searching that far for her.

A bus pulled up to the stop with a blinking banner that read “Northbound”. _Northbound?_ , Rachel wondered, _how far North, exactly? Whatever, it doesn’t matter._ She’ll just get off when she feels she’s gone far enough. How far could the bus possibly go, anyway? She boarded the bus with a couple other passengers who were also waiting, and it wasn’t until she was in front of the driver that Rachel realized she had no money. The driver sat in his chair with a slightly annoyed and exasperated look as Rachel awkwardly fished around in her pockets for loose change. She was always too lazy to put change into her purse, so she often had a few dollars and coins in her pockets. After a couple of seconds, she found about five dollars and a couple coins. She handed the driver the money and gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry, that’s all I have.” she said.

“Whatever, fine, go ahead.” The driver grunted. He must’ve seen her tattered clothes and scraped up skin and granted her pity. She thanked him and walked down the aisle to find a seat. There was an open window seat near the back of the bus that she graciously took. It felt nice to finally sit down, even if it wasn’t the most comfortable seat. Rachel didn’t even realize how tired she was until that moment.

Now that she was somewhere safe, she could assess her situation. Even though she knew it was important, thinking about Nathan and Jefferson hurt her too much. Maybe once she was rested up and somewhere secure, she could think more about them and what they did to her. For now though, dwelling on such feelings only brought her down. She had to think about the future. Once she gets off this bus, wherever she gets off, the first thing she’ll have to do is find shelter. Maybe go to a clinic or home for people with nowhere to sleep. She’d have to get job, but what? And how? She could always model, that is what she wants to be professionally after all, but that might be hard.  Rachel let out a sigh; she was just too tired to plan right now. She’d have to wait and see once she got off the bus. She glanced out the window and watched the scenery of Arcadia Bay fly past her. The muddled colors outside her window and the soft rumble of the bus made her head feel light and her body relax. She tried to keep her eyes open, but sleep was washing over her and soon enough her eyes lidded shut.  

* * *

 

Rachel awoke groggily to a soft nudge in her shoulder. She rubbed her eyes and turned her head to see who was next to her. Though still feeling hazy from her sleep, Rachel could see there was now an older woman with her. Her grey hair was tied back messily into a bun and she was wearing a pale, pink shirt with long, faded jeans.

“Sorry to wake you, Miss” The lady’s eyes were kind as she spoke. “But the last stop is coming up.” Rachel bolted upright in her seat, suddenly much more awake. She spun to look out the window, and the scenery zooming past was unrecognizable.

“The last stop? Where are we?” She exclaimed, probably a little too loud. The lady looked taken aback. “How long was I out?” Rachel continued more calmly.

“Well I arrived about two hours ago, so at least that long, and we are about to arrive in Seattle.” The lady responded. “Where were you headed, Miss? I hope you didn’t miss your stop.” Her brows furrowed in concern.

“Seattle! We’ve gone that far?” Rachel said _. That means I was asleep for at least six hours._ She didn’t even know the bus went to Seattle. Thinking back to the lady’s question, Rachel shifted towards her and replied confidently “Oh, I wasn’t headed anywhere specifically, though! I just wanted to find some place new, so it’s no big deal. Thank you for waking me up.” She smiled gratefully at the woman.

“You’re welcome, Dear. I’m glad you didn’t miss your stop.” The lady said kindly. She looked like she was about to speak again when the bus slowed to a stop and a voice announced that they had arrived at their final destination. The lady and Rachel both stood up and walked out of the bus. Once they were out and standing on the sidewalk, the lady turned back to Rachel and said “I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Rachel thanked her one final time and watched as she walked down the sidewalk and disappeared around the corner.

With no particular goal in mind, Rachel headed in the other direction. She didn’t know where to go or what to do. She hadn’t expected the bus to take her this far at all and now that she was here, she was slightly overwhelmed. Seattle is much bigger than Arcadia, and while she had always planned to move to a big city, this wasn’t exactly how she wanted it to go down. It was really late at night, so there was barely anyone around save a few people heading to work. Rachel knew her first step would be to find some random place to stay for the night. It seemed sketchy to sleep in a town she had never been to, but she had no other choice. She couldn’t accomplish anything until it was morning.

After walking around for a while, Rachel came across a park. It was a good thing Seattle was a big city, otherwise it might have taken her forever to find somewhere to rest. After sleeping on the bus, Rachel felt a little better, but she was still pretty tired. She picked a random bench near the center of the park and sat down on it. She tried to lay down and hoped deeply that no one would kick her out, but found the bench was a very hard place to sleep. The night was long, restless, and while no one found her, Rachel didn’t even realize how long she’d been drifting in and out of sleep until the sun had risen significantly in the sky. She slowly sat up, her whole body aching from laying on the uncomfortable surface, and leaned against the back of the bench. It was more active outside now. Many people were walking around and hanging out, despite it being pretty early, and Rachel enjoyed watching the everyday bustle of a big city.

Completely content with people watching, Rachel totally forgot about her dilemma. When she did remember, it hit her like a blow to the stomach. She bent over, and with her elbows resting on her knees, buried her face in her hands. Panic was beginning to set in and her chest was pounding. What was she going to do? She had no money, no friends, no phone, no home, nothing. She was going to be homeless, possibly starving, and everyone in Arcadia would have no idea where she was. Rachel was so wrapped up in her panic that she hadn’t even noticed someone sitting next to her until a small voice spoke out.

“Excuse me?” The voice said. Rachel lifted her head from her hands and turned to see a small girl with short, messy, brown hair and bright, blue eyes sitting with her on the bench. An old polaroid camera sat in her lap and a worried look spread across her face. “Are you okay?”

  
  



	2. A Phone Call and a Camera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max offers to help Rachel with her predicament

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!!! I live!! I'm so sorry that it's been SO long. I really have no excuse. I've been into different fandoms lately (see my other fics as proof woops) and lost interest in this for a while. I'm back now, and hope to update with more frequent, yet shorter chapters! I hope you all still enjoy this fic lmao! thank you for sticking with me.

“Are you okay?” 

Rachel's eyes widened at the girl’s small, yet concerned question. She wondered why a complete stranger seemed so interested in her wellbeing. She examined the girl more closely for a few seconds, wondering how much she should say. The girl didn't look like she had any sort of bad intention; in fact, naivety practically radiated off of her. Rachel's eyes suddenly snapped down to the girl’s hands that were fidgeting in her lap. She should probably hurry up and say something. With the ease of someone who'd been in every social circle, Rachel's face slipped into a soft smile and her position straightened. 

“Oh, you don't need to worry about me, I’m fine” she said. 

The girl’s body relaxed but her worried expression stayed. “Are you sure?”

Clearly a simple answer wasn't enough, Rachel thought. She had to give more, but couldn't exactly reveal the whole story. How would this stranger feel if Rachel told her she came all the way from Oregon to escape a sociopathic photographer? 

“Well, since you’re asking,” Rachel said, letting out an airy chuckle and waving her hands as she spoke, “I arrived in Seattle today on accident after falling asleep on the bus. I left my home with nothing but a few dollars and the clothes on my back, so you can guess what sort of bind I’m in.” She glanced at the girl next to her while still keeping her head forward. The girl seemed to be processing what little information Rachel gave her, and Rachel could tell she wanted to know more. Quite nosy for a stranger, she thought, although she didn’t particularly mind. “So, now that I’ve told you a little bit about me, why don’t I ask you something?” Rachel asked, causing the girl to turn her head. “What’s your name?”

“Oh, sorry, it’s Max.” The girl replied. She shifted her weight, giving Rachel more of her attention.

“Max” Rachel said slowly, a smile tugging on her lips as she reached out a hand, “I’m Rachel, nice to meet you!” Max returned the gesture, shaking Rachel’s hand.

“So, Rachel, is there anything I can do to help?” Max asked, somehow with more confidence in her voice than before. Rachel thought for a moment, not sure what exactly she needed right now. Technically, she needed a lot of things. Too many things if she was being honest. However, there was something she had to do before anything else.

“Would it be alright, Max, if I borrowed your phone?” Rachel decided to ask. She wouldn’t be surprised if Max said no, but felt it worth a shot. After slight hesitation, Max agreed and handed Rachel her phone. Rachel dialed the familiar number and waited for an answer.

“Hello?” Her mom’s voice rang out from the speaker.

“Mom? It’s Rachel.”

“Rachel!” Her mom replied in surprise, “Rachel, honey, where are you? You haven’t been home, is everything okay?”

Rachel’s throat felt tight but she forced herself to answer. “Not quite. Mom, I’m-I’m in Seattle… and I don’t think I’ll be home any time soon.”

“Seattle?! Why so far? What’s going on?” Concerned filled her mom’s voice.

“I… I can’t tell you because it might be too dangerous. Let’s just say I didn’t have a choice; I had to go quickly.” Rachel ignored her mom’s protests and continued, “Mom, how and why I got here isn’t the issue. The issue is I didn’t have time to pack, so I’m homeless and broke in the middle of Seattle. I need your help.”

Rachel heard her mom sigh before replying, “Okay, Rachel. Your father and I will help you, but since you are an adult now and no longer attending school, we’re not just going to give you everything. We will pay for you to stay in a hotel for two weeks. That’s enough time for you to find a job and another place to stay. Once you find a place to go more permanently, I’ll send you your stuff. Does that work?” 

“Yes, that works, thanks

Mom.” Rachel said. It wasn’t quite what she wanted, but at least she had a place to stay for the next two weeks. Rachel continued talking with her mom for a few minutes, discussing what hotel she’d be staying at and how she’d get a job, before saying goodbye and giving the phone back to Max.

Throughout Rachel’s conversation, Max had been fiddling with her bag, even taking a couple shots with her camera. She took the phone from Rachel’s hand and put it away before looking at Rachel expectantly.

“Oh, my mom said she’d let me stay at a hotel for two weeks so I can get a job and somewhere more permanent to stay.” Rachel finally responded. “Thanks for letting me use your phone, Max” 

Max smiled and said, “No problem,” before returning to her camera. Rachel watched as Max examined the photos she took, her eyes focused. Max looked through the camera a few times, as though she was about to take a photo, but then decided against it and rested it back into her lap. 

“So,” Rachel started, her curiosity getting the better of her, “Before I get going to the hotel, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Is there any particular reason you decided to take photos at the park today?” Max looked surprised at the sudden inquiry.

“I’m in a photography class,” Max answered, “and we are supposed to be doing a series where we find a stranger and take photos of them. Kind of like, finding a gem in a crowd of dull rocks. Everyone has a story and the potential to be a wonderful model, if only we searched for them.” Max’s eyes softened as she spoke about her project. Rachel could tell she held a lot of love for her art, and it gave her an idea.

“Hey, you know, I’ve always wanted to be a model,” Rachel said, a grin on her face and a playful shine in her eyes. “I’d be more than happy to help you with your project, since you helped me after all.” Even though she knew it wasn’t a job, Rachel still wanted to help this girl after everything she’d done for her. Besides, Rachel needed someone to talk to while she was stuck in Seattle, and she was starting to like this new girl she met.

Max’s eyes widened and she returned Rachel’s grin, “Really? That’d be a huge help, thank you so much. How abo-” She was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing in her bag. She pulled it out, read the screen, then turned to Rachel quickly. “Sorry, looks like I have to go home. How about we meet here this Saturday...around noon?” Max scribbled her number and email onto a torn piece of paper before pressing it into Rachel’s hand. Rachel curled her fingers around the paper and nodded.

“Sure, see you then!” Rachel said, waving goodbye as Max grabbed her stuff and started to leave. Rachel stared at her hand, wondering what Saturday had in store for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated :)


	3. Family Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some family friends come over for dinner, and Max thinks about her new project with Rachel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Wow, uh, it's been almost a year since I updated. I apologize for that! I haven't been very motivated. My writing has shifted and (hopefully) improved since the last chapter, so hope you guys still enjoy. Also since I last posted, before the storm came out! (which was so good btw, I could gush forever) Which means we now have more info about our lovely lady Rachel. I'll definitely incorporate the new info about her into this fic. This chapter is kind of filler, but it needed to happen to get to the next phase, which is Rachel and Max photo time. That'll definitely be more fun to write, so fingers crossed I don't keep you waiting another year! 
> 
> I'll stop rambling now. Thank you so much for sticking with me this long if you have! I hope you like it!

With a soft click, Max opened her front door and stepped inside. She nudged her shoes off and hung her bag on a chair in the kitchen. Her mom stood in front of the counter, cutting up vegetables. Her head lifted at the sound of Max walking through the door.    
  
"Hi, sweetie! How was school?" Max's mom asked, her hand paused from her cooking. Max shrugged.    
  
"Same as always. Mrs. Walters gave us an hour-long talk on ‘The Wonders of the Amoeba'" Max said, smiling, "So pretty fun."   
  
Max's mom laughed and returned to her cooking. "At least you can never say your Biology class is boring. Never a dull moment with that woman" Max nodded in agreement, sitting on the kitchen chair. She remembered why she was home this early.    
  
"So why'd you call me to come home?" Max asked.   
  
"Oh!" her mom said, "The Cordemans are coming over in a few hours for dinner, and I wanted you here early so you could get ready and help me. Sorry, were you in the middle of something?"   
  
"No…I was just taking pictures in the park for a project" Max replied.   
  
Her mom didn't look up as she continued with dinner, but smiled and exclaimed, "Oh? What's your project about? Also, can you go grab me some milk from the fridge and help me with this?" Max nodded and went over to open the fridge door as she responded.   
  
"We have to take 7 photos of a stranger," Max said. She grabbed the milk jug from the fridge and closed the door before going on, "We have to find someone who's not a model. Sort of, uh, an everyday beauty you know?"   
  
"Thanks!" Her mom said as Max gave her the milk, "And wow, that's a bit ambitious of your teacher! Have you found someone yet?"    
  
Max hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell her mom about Rachel. She left out the  _ small _ detail about Rachel's living situation, but figured it was for the best. She just told her mom how she saw Rachel and talked to her a bit before asking her to be a part of her project. "She said she's going to call me later today to discuss meeting arrangements, so I'm waiting on that," Max finished. Her mom closed the lid on her pot of soup and went over to the sink to wash her hands.   
  
"That sounds like it'll be fun, Max. I look forward to seeing the photos as usual," Max's mom chuckled as she wiped off her hands on a towel, "Well, the soup is done now, all we have to do is wait, would you set the table for me?"   
  
Max and her mom spent the next half hour on the final touches to prepare for their guests. At some point, Max's dad arrived home from work and the three of them talked as they set up. Around 6:30, the sound of the doorbell rang throughout the house, signaling the arrival of the Cordemans. Max's mom opened the door, greeting them warmly and welcoming them inside. The Cordemans have been friends of Max's family for a few months now and they seemed very nice. Mrs. Cordeman had her hair tied in a long, dark braid down her back, and as she spoke you could almost feel the sweetness in her voice. Mr. Cordeman was a little stern in appearance, but after a few minutes, you could tell he loved to joke around. They have a son as well, but he was busy and wouldn't be coming, they said.   
  
After some greetings and small talk, the two families sat around the dinner table. The night went well. Max even managed to squeeze in a few words between conversations. At one point, Mrs. Cordeman turned to her, smiling warmly.   
  
"So Max, I heard from your mom that you are working on a new photography project. What's it about?" She asked. Max explained the basis of the project again, mentioning Rachel. As she spoke, she began to wonder what Rachel was doing. Was she having dinner right now? Could she even afford it? Max knew Rachel said her mom was helping her but didn't know if that would include her dinner tonight. She started to wonder if maybe she should've tried harder to help Rachel, maybe invite her over. Well maybe not, Rachel's still a stranger after all, but Max knows she could've done more. She decided that next time she saw Rachel, she'd offer her more help.   
  
"We have to take 7 different photos," Max refocused on her words, pushing Rachel from her mind for now, " A portrait, a candid photo, a picture of the model interacting with others, something with nature as a focal point, the model doing some kind of physical activity, eating, and a photo focusing on fashion." Seven photos in total, she thought. They could either get them all done in a day or spread them out over a longer time frame. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Max kind of wanted to drag the photo shoot out and spend more time with Rachel. She immediately shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought.   
  
"That's a lot to do! Good luck, Max, I'm sure the photos will turn out lovely," Mrs. Cordeman replied, and the rest of dinner continued normally. After dinner, the Cordemans said their goodbyes, and Max and her parents cleaned the dishes. Just as Max was about to change into pajamas for her long-awaited, quality tv time, her phone rang. The caller ID read a number she did not recognize, but she could already guess who it was.   
  
"Hey, Max!" A cheery voice rang through the phone speaker. "It's Rachel, how's your night going?"   
  
Max was taken aback by the energy in Rachel's voice. "It's going good, just had some family friends over for dinner. Have you had dinner already?" Max said, thinking back to earlier.    
  
"That sounds nice! Oh, and yes I did, no need to worry about me," Rachel replied with a teasing tone, "So about the photography project, what are your plans?"   
  
"Oh, uh..." Max stammered, realizing she hadn't quite thought it through yet. She quickly responded with the first idea she had, "Let's just meet at the park again since that's easy. Maybe around 3? That's when I'll be out of class."   
  
"Sure! That sounds great, I’ll see you then! I look forward to working with you."   
  
"Same here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, kudos and comments are appreciated <3


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